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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/25540369">Rain 雨</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/la_vie_musicale/pseuds/la_vie_musicale'>la_vie_musicale</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Bleach</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>F/M</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-07-27</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2020-07-27</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-05 09:35:50</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>General Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>No Archive Warnings Apply</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>1</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>1,832</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/25540369</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/la_vie_musicale/pseuds/la_vie_musicale</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>A rainy day can make you think of a lot of things, including your past and your present. How have things changed from what they were? Who influenced us to become the person that we are? And where are our places in the world?</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Kuchiki Rukia/Kurosaki Ichigo</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>4</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>Rain 雨</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Rain 雨</p>
<p>Rukia looked outside from her window as she heard the beginning of a light sound of rain on the road outside and on the roof of the Kurosaki household. They hadn’t been expecting kind of bad weather, but with it being the dead of summer, it wasn’t completely out of the realm of possibility. She had made her perch at the desk that was in Ichigo’s room, while he was out for some reason he hadn’t explained. Something about Chad and Keigo had come out of his mouth, but she didn’t inquire any further. She did doubt that he was prepared enough to bring an umbrella.</p>
<p>She continued to look outside the window as the rain fell. It always made her feel melancholy. It taught her valuable lessons in many parts of her life. She loved how it could wash away a lot of things but she knew it could easily drown her if she let it.</p>
<p>She looked at the clock on Ichigo’s wall clock and noted that he had been gone for about two hours. Depending on the rain it could be longer. And despite how loud the house usually was, especially during summer, everything was just quiet. She assumed that Ichigo’s sisters were out doing something important for summer homework, and that the patriarch of the Kurosaki household was busy at work in the clinic that he owned. Even Kon was minding his own business by reading manga and dozing off on Ichigo’s bed. </p>
<p>Rukia returned her attention to the window, watching the rain quietly. She closed her book, rightly assuming that she wouldn’t be getting any more reading done now that her concentration on that had been broken.</p>
<p>It had been quite awhile since the rain had brought any painful memories. But unlike before, she wasn’t paralyzed by the thought of it. Her violet eyes closed as she gently pushed some of her raven hair behind the back of her ear. She could see his face with no problems. That face that looked eerily similar to Ichigo’s. </p>
<p>Kaien Shiba.</p>
<p>He was the first person to treat her normally after her official adoption in the prestigious Kuchiki family. And she could tell everyone in that house thought she was a burden, including the man who was supposed to be her new brother. She couldn’t understand why he would want a street punk like her in the first place. She remembered thinking on multiple occasions that she would’ve been perfectly happy graduating with Renji and making it as a low level peon in a squad. At least they could have been together. But even he didn’t want to stay with her anymore it seemed.</p>
<p>She was determined to move into the barracks and make her own way through life quietly keeping to herself. She didn’t want any additional spotlight, if she could help it.</p>
<p>Kaien had other plans though. </p>
<p>He was nice to her. His fiancee was nice to her. The Captain was nice to her. The third seats were nice to her. It gave her some sort of place and reason to wake up. She didn’t feel like some sort of freak around them. She was happy for the first time in a very long time. </p>
<p>And to see him turn into that thing.</p>
<p>To be the one who had to kill him.</p>
<p>She hated to think about it. The guilt would eat her alive if she let it. It did for a long time. She could still feel the guilt as if the sword that pierced Kaien was piercing her. And she felt she deserved it. </p>
<p>On top of that, after the event she was sent to the Human World for a special assignment. Icing to top the cake. She had to make a rookie mistake and find some dumb kid with way too much power and no way of controlling it while looking for a Hollow. Then her powers got taken and not only was she stranded; she was effectively a criminal. To mix herself in the affairs of Humans and almost die for one? How stupid could she be?</p>
<p>However, in that brief interaction, the Human proved how decisive he was. His eyes were the same as Kaien. They showed a determination that, if she were being honest, she envied. They weren’t scared. They had a purpose, no matter how difficult the path he chose would be. It was all or nothing with him. </p>
<p>She saw Kaien in those eyes, and to a lesser extent, she saw herself. How she used to be. When she was running around the Slums of her childhood with Renji and their friends. When she was top in her class at the Academy. She had changed so much and didn’t even realize it.</p>
<p>Rukia opened her eyes, still watching as the rain kept its steady pace. The Human World wasn’t the Hell that she thought it would be, though it started that way. Having to deal with someone who had essentially hijacked her only means of fending for herself, having to deal with incompetence when it came to equipment and not even having her own room or clothes wasn’t exactly her idea of a vacation. But… she had lived through worse.</p>
<p>She hadn’t expected to make connections though. She had expected to be on her way within a few weeks or so at the most. But in those months of being stranded, she made friends. She laughed, enjoyed food, went to places and had conversations. </p>
<p>She wasn’t alone anymore.</p>
<p>And to think that some punk with an angry face and a strong sense of honor who stole her power would be able to help her. She smiled to herself. He did have that effect. Most times he helped without even knowing it.</p>
<p>Rukia stood up from the desk she was stationed at and stretched as she looked at the clock again. She had spent an hour reminiscing on things that she would have rather not. She couldn’t call it a waste of time though. The rain was still steadily pouring outside and the house was still relatively quiet. But with the amount of time that had passed since she had first taken residency in Ichigo’s room, it would probably be a good idea to start packing up. </p>
<p>“Nee-chan?”</p>
<p>Rukia looked at the lion plush toy that was still stationed on Ichigo’s bed. His voice sounded like he had only awoken due to her movement, and him rubbing his eyes confirmed it.</p>
<p>“I’m going out, Kon. I’ll be back soon.”</p>
<p>“Do you want me to come with you? I can protect you.”</p>
<p>Rukia felt herself smile in amusement. Though his heart was in the right place. “I don’t know how much trouble I could get in from walking around a town. I’ll be fine.”</p>
<p>She could tell Kon wasn’t fully awake as he offered no protest, and that was fine with her. She slipped out of the room with her book before he could fully comprehend anything, grabbed an umbrella and walked out of the house. It had been a long time since she was able to absentmindedly walk around. She was usually so bogged down with something that even her thoughts were bogged down. She realized that to be able to not think about anything was a luxury.</p>
<p>She had no destination in mind. They would pop in her head and then disappear just as quickly. First to go to Orihime’s apartment, then to Urahara Shop, then to the river one after the other. Every option sounded like the best idea until another one appeared. But maybe the best idea was to walk around a small town, listening to the rain beat down on her umbrella as her white flats got wet from the rain. </p>
<p>So, she walked. She didn’t pay attention to where she was going, and it didn’t matter. The rain was really all she was focused on.</p>
<p>“Why are you walking in the rain?”</p>
<p>Rukia turned to the familiar voice that had asked the question and found that it belonged to Ichigo. He stood underneath the awning of a closed shop and by the look of his bright orange hair and clothes, he had been caught in the rain somewhat recently.</p>
<p>“I was bored at the house, so I decided to talk around. You look like you’ve been stranded.”</p>
<p>“What can I say? I forgot my umbrella.”</p>
<p>“How long have you been standing here?”</p>
<p>Ichigo took out his phone to look at the time. “About thirty minutes.”</p>
<p>“And you couldn’t call someone to bring you an umbrella?”</p>
<p>“Well, it may sound weird, but I was enjoying the rain and thinking.”</p>
<p>Rukia looked at him for a second before laughing a little. “You’re right. It is weird.”</p>
<p>It only took a split second for Ichigo’s face to turn into an irritated one. “What was that?”</p>
<p>Rukia didn’t answer the question, instead opting to close her umbrella to stand next to him under the awning. “Hopefully, you’re not wasting too much energy using your brain. What were you thinking about?”</p>
<p>Ichigo stuffed his hands in his pockets and leaned back on the store front. “My mom. I miss her, you know. But I guess… I stopped blaming myself. Then I thought about that fight with Grand Fisher and how I wouldn’t have been able to win without your help.”</p>
<p>“If I remember right, you told me not to interfere. So I don’t know how I helped.” Rukia replied with playful sarcasm in her voice. </p>
<p>“You know what I mean! You gave me the power to fight it. I can look my mom in the eyes now. I couldn’t do that before.”</p>
<p>“She would be even more proud of you. You’ve changed, Ichigo.”</p>
<p>Rukia turned to look at Ichigo who raised a confused eyebrow at her. She smiled before returning her attention to the rain. “You’re not that same punk I first met.”</p>
<p>“I was never a punk. What are you talking about?”</p>
<p>“Even so. You’ve really proven yourself as a Shinigami. And as a friend. I’m glad you were the punk I met when I came here.”</p>
<p>Ichigo felt himself smile as he turned back to the rain. “Well, this punk’s happy he met you too. You changed his life.”</p>
<p>“That’s comforting. So, do you want to stay in the rain or do you want to get going?”</p>
<p>Ichigo shrugged. “We can stay here for a little longer. I don’t mind. Plus, I don’t think both of us will fit under the same umbrella.”</p>
<p>“Fine by me.” Rukia said as she straightened out her white sundress before leaning on the store front along with her companion. The rain continued at a steady pace, not indicating its end soon. But that was okay for her. She was comfortable and happy. And with the rain falling, seeming as though it was endless, she knew that she had a place. At that moment, there was no place she would rather be.</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>Honestly, this is my first story on this website and the first one I've put on the internet in a VERY long time. I hope people like it, though I'm still getting in the groove of things! Sending everyone lots of love and positive vibes! :)</p></blockquote></div></div>
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